Fluorescent lighting fixture



Oct. 3, 1944.. A. B. BEcHAuD FLUORESCENT LIGHTIILIG FIXTURE Filed oct. 22. 1942 .ll.. lll

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Patented Oct. 3, 1944 FLUORES GENT LIGHTING FIXTURE- lAdolph B. Bechaud,.Fond du Lac, Wis., assignor to Scientific Lighting, Inc., Fond du Lac, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 22, 1942, Serial No. 462,911

3 claims. (o1. 24o- 73) The invention relates to lighting fixtures and more particularly to lighting fixtures adapted for use with iiuorescent bulbs.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel lighting fixture of the above general character adapted to be constructed largely of lightweight dielectric material such as wood,

plastics or other non-metallic materials, which is simple and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, attractive in appearance and sufficiently V rugged to withstand the hard usage to which vlighting fixtures are commonly subjected in in- 1 dustrial installations.

Another object is to provide a lighting xture of will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fluorescent lighting fixture embodying the features of the invention. i'

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top view of the fixture.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

While I have shown, and will hereinafter describe a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of `the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing, the lighting fixture in its preferred form comprises a lightweight, elongated rigid frame structurev 5 with which are assembled the various electrical apparatus units such as a ballast unit 6 and a pair of socket supporting units 'I, and to which a 4suitable reflector 8 is removably attached. Con- Ventional sockets 9, carried by the units 1, are arranged to hold one or more uorescent bulbs or lamps B in predetermined, spaced'relation with respect to the reflector 8'. The various electrical elements are suitably interconnected for supplying operating current to the lamps B and the units themselves are interconnected for grounding purposes independently of the frame structure.

While the frame 5 may be of any desired form, the preferred form shown in the drawing lends itself particularly well to construction from lightweight dielectric material such as wood, plastics or other non-metallic materials. Preferably, the frame comprises a pair of relatively thin elongated side members II and I2 arranged in sideby-side relation and connected at their ends by end members I3 and I4 to form a boxlike rectangular frame structure. The side members may be tapered slightly from the center toward opposite ends to reduce the weight of the frame without sacricing strength or longitudinal rigidity. Panels I5 of plywood or like material, ex-

tending between the side members and rabbeted or otherwise securely attached thereto, act to hold the frame members in fixed relation and additionally serve in cooperation with the side members to define downwardly opening channelshaped chambers at each end of the frame for housing electrical equipment.

The frame structure is further strengthened by relatively thick cross members I6 connected `between the side members at opposite ends of the frame. These cross members also provide anchoring means for hook devices such as eyebolts I'I by which the fixture may be suspended from chains or the like attached to the ceiling or other suitable support. Theeyebolts II are arranged to project; through the cross members I6 and are anchored thereto in any suitable way as by nuts I8 threaded thereon. In the particular construction illustrated, the threaded section of the eyebolt is extended substantially below the lower edge of the frame structure for attachment of the reflector as will be described hereinafter.

The ballast unit 6 may be of any suitable and well-known type adapted for operation with the particular fluorescent lamp or lamps to be installed in the fixture. As herein shown the unit is of generally rectangular shape adapted to t between the frame members II and l2 and to be supported thereon substantially centrally of the frame, the panels I5 being terminated at each side of the center of the frame to provide a recess for the reception of the unit,

For supporting the unit, a pair of transversely disposed angle bars I9 are connected between the side members of the frame suitably spaced apart to permit the unit to rest on the inwardly facing horizontal flanges as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The side members are notched to receive the angle bars so that the outer surfaces thereof are substantially flush with the lower edges of the side members. .Any suitable means such as screws 20 may be utilized to attach' the bars to the frame structure.

The electrical apparatus units 1., as herein shown, are alike, each comprising a'boxlikernetal housing including a relatively shallow flanged base plate 2| with an intertting-cover '-22. -Inlthe particular fixture illustrated-each unit is fitted with two of the lamp sockets 9 and with a socket for a conventional starter'23. The lamp'sockets, which are of the type commonly used in fluorescent lighting fixtures, are 'preferably attachedL to the cover 22 and are arranged to project kdownwardly therethrough. When the fixture -is -designed to accommodate a plurality of fluorescent lamps, the sockets-of each unit are suitably v,spaced apart transversely V,of Vthe fixture to provide the required spacing between the-lamps.

The starter 23 is preferably located so as .to project from -the cover 22 between the two-lamp sockets 9 and is desirably mounted in a-sock-et-to permit convenient removal for replacement or repair. It will be understood, of course, that the `number of -lamp sockets providedin .the Vunits 'I is dependent entirely 4upon lthenumber of fluorescent .lamps to `be .accommodatedin Athe fixture.

It will alsobe'understood that .the starter `socketa:` and associatedstartenmay beomitted from one unit when the iixture is to be equipped vwith a single lamp.

The units I are arranged transversely of the frame 5 at opposite ends thereof andare spaced.' apart -to lposition the sockets 9 forxcoacting with the opposite ends of the `fluorescent lamps' B. Thus, thetwo lamps are Vheld in. parallel rela- -tion and -extend longitudinally of the fixture.

The lower side `edges `of the -frame -members- II and I2 are recessed for the reception of the units so that the bottom of the cover 22 -lies substan- .tially ush with the lower-edges of the :frame members. Any suitable .means such as wood screws 25 may be utilized to-attach the Abase-plate -2I of the unit to the -framestructure .while the oo ver inturn may be---secured -to the base by frictional engagement Aor -by suitable locking .screws as desired.

The mounting of the electrical apparatus units,

and the ballast unit supporting bars I9 .flush with the lower edges of Ythe frame members, `as

.above explained, provides 4a 'nat surface for 4engagement by the reflector 8. The reflector illustrated is accordingly formed with a substantially.`

flat vcentral section adapted to seat. against the side members and the end members ofthe frame. Suitable apertures are provided at opposite .ends

-of -the central section -to -accommcdate the projecting sockets Band the starter 23 which, as before explained, are assembledas .a unit -with the frame structure. Additional apertures are-.provided for receiving the projecting ends of the eyebolts I'I, and-wing nuts 26 threaded thereon may be utilized to hold the reflector :in assembled re lation with the frame. Thus, -by simply removing the lamp B from the sockets and unscrewing the wing nuts :the reector may -bedetached from the fixture. Moreover,since the -reector is not of the xture it may be made of relatively lightweight material such as thin sheet metal, plywood, plastics, etc.

The lamp sockets, starter and ballast units 6 are interconnected by suitable conductors 30, while conductors 30 leading out from one of the units 'I and through an opening in the panel I5 at one end of the frame connect the electrical apparatus Awith a source of current, A metallic channel member 3I attached to one of the side members I I of the frame extends between the two `units 'I and forms a conduit for the conductors 30, the "conductors being conned therein by required to support any-of the electrialflmn l5 split rivets 32 entered in suitable apertures in lthe member. -At each end, the conduit member 'is'provided with a flat extension or tongue 33 adapted to be attached to the metallic housings of the respectiveunits I by screws or other suitable means to provide a ground connection therebetween. The conduit member is electrically `.connected'with'one of the angle bars I9 as by a contact strip 34, 'and the angle bar, in turn, -is electrically connected with the housing of the connectionfor vall of -the Aelectrical apparatus of 4the 'fixture independently of the framestructure.

This is a safety feature of substantial-importance -where -thesupporting framework :is to -be con- .,.structedof non-conducting material such :as --Wood It--will be .apparent from the foregoing that .the invention provides -a fluorescent lighting fixture of novel and advantageous construction. `The supporting framework .of-thexture, to-

l gether -with the -electricalelements. areassem- `bled :as a unit-to whichA thereector may-.be .detachably connected. The reflector, .accordi-ing-ly, --isnot requiredto-support any -of the electrical 4elements-:and may, therefore, be 'con- `struct-ed -of lightweight material. Moreover, it maybe readily removed for cleaning or `'replacefment. The frame structure,zas -well `as thereilector, may be made of non-metallic materials and safe operation is -insured bythe provision of f-aneffective 1 ground connection Vbetween the various-,electrical elements -independently ofthe -fra-mev-structure. In general, it-will be observed that the lighting fixture thus provided .isflight in weight; attractive in'ap-pearance and yet sui- -cientlyrugged Vto withstand hard use.

-I :claim Vas my invention:

1.-*Amuorescent lighting xture havingyin combination, a frame of lightweight dielectric imaterial adapted to vsupport the: electrical ele- :ments of .the 'fixture and ya reflector,"l said' 'frame comprising a pair of elongated side members arranged `in spaced parallel relation, relatively `wide cross members connecting the side mem- 'bers at opposite ends, panel'members assembled fwith. said sidemembers to hold the frame'rigid, spaced angle bars connecting between saidside members .operative Atoxsupport a ballast. unit lsubvstanti'ally.centrally of .the frame, said side mem- :bers` being-:notched :adjacent opposite 'endsr for the-reception of .aboxlike electrical apparatus .housing having projecting sockets for .holding fluorescent lamps, Aand means anchored to'the cross members for suspending the fixture-said suspending .means Vbeing extended through said .cross members for detachably connecting the reflector tov the frame.

2. A .fluorescent lighting lxture having; an

--elongated frame of lightweight'dielectricmaterial and a reflector 'detachablyr secured to the .underside -of the frame, said frame` comprising spaced parallel side members, cross members connecting said side members at opposite ends, panel members disposed between the side members to dene therewith a rigid channel-shaped structure, electrical apparatus units each including a. housing carrying a depending lamp socket supported at opposite ends of the frame, said side mem-bers being notched to hold said units with the underside of the housings flush with the lower edge of the side members, hook members each having a threaded portion extending through said panels and attached to said cross members to support the fixture, said hook members having their ends projecting below the lower edges o the side members and through said reflector, and nuts threaded onto said projecting ends of the hook members to hold the reector in assembled relation with the frame.

3. A uorescent lighting fixture having, in combination, a frame comprising elongated parallel side members connected at each end by relatively short cross members to form a rigid rectangular structure, said members being constructed of lightweight dielectric material, electrical apparatus units mounted adjacent opposite ends of said frame each including a housing substantially wider than said cross members and carrying a projecting lamp socket, the side members of the frame being notched for the reception of said housings whereby eac-h unit is held with the bottom of its housing substantially ilush with the bottom edges of the side members and with the socket extending below the side members, said units being spaced apart to position the sockets for cooperation with the opposite ends of a fluorescent lamp, a reflector apertured to receive said lamp sockets and means carried by the cross members of the frame for holding said reflector against the underside o said frame.

ADOLPH B; BECHAUD. 

